Electrical weft detecting mechanism for pick-and-pick looms



Aug. 4, 1936. A. A. GORDON 2,049,584

ELECTRICAL WEFT DETECTING MECHANISM FOR PICK-AND-P ICK LOOMS 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed ril 15, 1935 iii yww vm Aug. 4, 1936. A. A. GORDON ELECTRICAL W EFT DETECTING MECHANISM FOR PICK-AND-PICK LOOMS Filed April 15, 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 ZWZZ/ 6,, 50/227022" g- 1936- A. A. GORDON 2,049,584

ELECTRICAL WEFT DETECTING MECHANISM FOR PICK-AND-PICK LOOMS 7 Filed April 13, 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 3 Z 4 L I x i Er i: o i C I 1 I I L 4 I L i Aug. 4, 1936. A. A. GORDON 2,049,584

ELECTRICAL WEFT DETECTING MECHANISM FOR PICK-AND-PICK LOOMS I Filed April 13, 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 .Tffl 1m M Aug. 4, 1936. A. A. GORDON 2,049,584

ELECTRICAL WEFT DETECTING MECHANISM FOR PICKAND-PICK LOOMS I Filed April 15, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Jzravz a: 7', 4. 6072270 A m6. A. A. GORDON 2,049,584

ELECTRICAL WEFT DETECTING MECHANISM FOR PICK-AND-PICK LOO MS Filed April 13, 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 .ZVZW/Zfdi" ,6 .fiawa/v Patented Aug. 4, 1936 i. E e

ire STATES ELECTRICAL WEFT DETECTING MECHA- NISM FOR PECK-AND-PICK LOOMS Albert A. Gordon, Worcester, Mass., assignor to Crompton &,Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application April 13, 1933, Serial No. 665,919

Claims.

This invention relates: primarily to pick-andpick looms in which a plurality of drop boxes are provided at each side of the loom, and in which the number of shuttles to be automatically re- 5 plenished'with different kinds of weft does not exceed the number of boxes at the detecting side of the loom.

Furthermore, the invention relates to that type of pick-and-pick loom in which each particular shuttle to be automatically replenished with a separate kind of weft has its own assigned shuttle box at the detecting side of the loom and is never housed in any other shuttle box on that side. Additional shuttles may, if desired, be operated in said boxes but non-automatically as to weft replenishment.

It is the general object of my invention to provide an improved electrical weft detecting mechanism for such a loom, through the operation of which a substantially exhausted weft carrier in any automatically replenished shuttle will be replaced by a fresh weft carrier having the same kind or color of yarn.

My invention further relates to improved devices for coordinating the closing of certain electrical contacts with the movements of the drop boxes, so that only one electrical detector can become operative to give an indication at any one time. In the preferred form, the invention contemplates the closing of such circuits slightly in advance of the box change, if any.

My invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawings, in which I Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a drop box loom embodying my improvements; 7

Fig. 2 is a partial left-hand side elevation of the loom, with certain parts shown in section;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged partial front elevation of the drop boxes at the right-hand side of the 45 100m;

Fig. 4 is a plan view thereof, looking in the direction of the arrow 6 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional end elevation of one of the drop boxes, taken substantially along 50 the line 55 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of certain contact plates;

Fig. 7 is a partial plan view, partly in section, of a shuttle to be used with my improved detect- 55 ing mechanism;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation thereof, looking in the direction of the arrow 8 in Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail side elevation, taken along the line 9-9 in Fig. '7;

Fig. 10 is a sectional end view, taken along the 5 line l0l0 in Fig. 7;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a contact plate to be described;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged plan view of certain transmitting mechanism shown in Fig. 1, and looking 10 in the direction of the arrow l2 in Figs. 1 and 13;

Fig. 13 is a right-hand side elevation, looking in the direction of the arrow 13 in Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a detail sectional view, taken along the line i l-I4 in Fig. 12; 15 Fig. 15 is a plan view of certain compound levers, looking. in the direction of the arrow I 5 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 16 is a side elevation, looking in the direction of the arrow IS in Fig. 15, and 20 Fig. 17 is a diagrammatic view of certain electrical circuits.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, I have shown a pick-and-pick loom comprising a 100m frame 20 having the usual reed R, harnesses H and dobby 25 D. I have also indicated lay ends 2| and 22 in which drop boxes 23 and 24 are mounted for vertical sliding movement. The usual drop box mechanism (not shown in detail) is provided for raising and lowering the drop boxes in accord- 3 ance with a pattern chain 25 in the dobby D.

A magazine M is mounted at the left-hand side of the loom and is provided with a series of bobbin holders 26 (Fig. 2), any one of which may be depressed to present a bobbin or Weft carrier 35 Bin position for engagement by a transfer member 21.

The bobbin holders 26 are selectively depressed by arms on a rock shaft 30 (Fig. 2) which rock shaft may be shifted axially to select a bobbin holder and which may be rocked to depress the selected bobbin holder. Axial movement of the rock shaft 30 is effected through a link 3| and bell crank lever 32 by suitable connections to the drop boxes or to the pattern mechanism controlling the drop boxes. For the purposes of this application, it is sufficient to state that the rock shaft 30 is moved axially in predetermined relation to the vertical movements of the drop boxes on the detecting side of the loom.

The transfer member 21 is actuated by a cam 35 on a camshaft 36, which cam engages a bell crank lever 3'! having a stud 38 extending into an L-shaped slot 39 in a head 40 connected by a link 4| to the transfer member 21. When the head 49 is in the normal position shown' in Fig. 2, the stud 38 oscillates freely in the segmental portion of the slot 39 and no movement of the transfer member 21 takes place.

Upon indication of weft exhaustion, the rock shaft 30 is given a rocking movement by actuating and transmitting mechanism to be described, and such movement of the rock shaft is communicated through a link 42 to a lever 43 having a roll 44 underlying the head 40.

When the rock shaft is rocked to depress a bobbin holder 26, the lever. 43 is also moved to raise the head 49, so that the stud 38 is positioned in the offset end portion of the slot 39. The head 40 is then moved rearward by the rocking of the bell crank 31, thereby causing the transfer member 21 to transfer a fresh weft carrier or bobbin B to the indicated shuttle S.

For a more complete description of the parts thus far described, reference is made to my prior application Serial No. 499,038, filed November 29, 1930.

The means for rocking the shaft 39 comprises a second cam 59 on the cam shaft 36, engaging a cam roll 5| on a lever 52' pivoted at 53 and connected at its front end by a link 54 (Fig. 13) to alever 55 mounted on a fixed stud 5B. A second lever or bell crank 51 is mounted on the stud 55 and has a depending arm 58 connected by a link 59 (Fig. 2) to a bell crank 60 pivoted at El and connected by a link 62 to an arm 63 on the rock shaft '89. A spring 64 normally holds the link 62 in raised position. 7

A bracket 66 (Figs. 12 and 13) extends downward from the lever 55 and supports a solenoid coil 61. A plunger 68 is slidable in the coil 61 and is connected to a rod I9 fixed in a latch II, which in turn is pivoted at I2 to the bell crank lever 51 previously described.

When the solenoid 61 is energized, the solenoid plunger acts through the rod I0 to swing the latch 'II to the dotted line position indicated in Fig. 14, in which position a shoulder I3 underlies the regularly actuated lever 55.

The lever 55 is thus operatively connected with the lever 51 and moves the same downward, thereby rocking the rock shaft 30 through the connections previously. described and depressing a'selected bobbin holder 26 in the path of the transfer member 21.

The control circuit for the solenoid Bl is shown in Fig. 17, where the solenoid 51 is connected through a wire I5 to a portion of the winding of a driving motor T or to any other suitable source of electrical energy. The solenoid 61 is also connected by a wire I5 to a contact platell on the end of a lever I8.

The lever I8 is selectively moved to cause the contact plate 11 to engage any one of a series of contact plates (Fig. 17) corresponding to the four drop boxes at the detecting side of the loom. The lever I8 is mounted on a fixed pivot shaft 8I (Figs. 15 and 16) and a lever 82 is pivoted at 83 on an extension of the lever I8.

The long arm of the lever 82 is connected by a link 84 to a lever 85, and the short arm of the lever 82 is connected by a'link 86 to a lever 81. The levers and 81 are controlled by the pattern chain 25 (Fig. 1) previously described and may form units in the usual series of vibrator levers in the'dobby D.

By the provision of risers and sinkers on the pattern chain 25, the levers 85 and 81 may be selectively operated to move the contact plate I'I into engagement with any selected contact plate 80, such movement being associated and in harmony with the movement of the drop boxes at the detecting side of the loom.

In Fig. 1'7 I have indicated wires I, 2, 3, and 4 connected to the contact plates 89, which plates 5 are associated with the first, second, third and fourth drop boxes. These wires I, 2, 3, and 4 are connected at their other ends to contact plates 9I, 92, 93, and 94, associated with the corresponding drop boxes at the right-hand or weft de- 10 tecting end of the loom.

Additional contact plates 95, 96, 91, and 98 are connected to a return wire 99 leading back to the winding in the driving motor '1 or to any other source of power for the solenoid 87. 15

It will thus appear that the control circuit 61 must be closed at two distinct points before the solenoid will be energized. In the first place, it must be closed by contact between the plate I7 and the plate 8|] which corresponds to the active 20 shuttle, and it must also be closed by contact between the pair of plates at the detecting end of the loom corresponding to the same shuttle.

The provision for closing the circuit between the latter pairs of plates, such as 9I and 95, is 25 shown in detail in Figs. 3 to 11. Each shuttle S is provided with a contact plate I99 (Fig. 8) positioned for engagement by the corresponding contact members 9|, 92, 93 or 94, and with a second contact plate I9I, positioned for engage- 30 ment by the corresponding contact members 95, 96, 91 or 98. The contact plate I09 is connected by a wire I02 to a rod I03 (Fig. 9) mounted on an inner side wall of the shuttle recess and having a contact arm I04 pivoted thereon and yield- 35 ingly moved toward the bobbin B by a light coil spring I95.

The bobbin B is provided with a metal ferrule or bushing I06 (Fig. '7) connected by a wire or plate III'I to the bobbin rings I98, which in turn 40.

are connected through the bobbin spring I09 and bolt III] to the contact plate IilI previously described, which plate is engaged by one of the contact members to 98.

When the ferrule I06 is covered with a winding 45.

of weft thread, the arm I94 cannot engage there with, and the circuit through the solenoid 61 will not be closed until the weft on the bobbin B is substantially exhausted as indicated in Fig. 7,

at which time the arm I84 engages the ferrule I06. 501

This completes the circuit and causes the solenoid to be energized, which in turn connects the actuating lever 55 with the lever 51, thus causing the rock shaft 39 to depress the corresponding bobbin holder 26 and to also act through 551 the link 42 to raise the head 40 and connect the transfer member 21 for operation by the cam 35. The cams are so positioned that the shuttle will be replenishedimmediately upon arrival at the magazine side of the loom after indication of 60 substantial weft exhaustion at the detecting side of the loom. V

I thus provide detecting mechanism in each separate automatically replenished shuttle, and control circuits therefor which allow the detect- 65- ing mechanism to indicate weft exhaustion only when the indicated shuttle is in active or running position, or is about to be moved to such position. With respect to all other shuttles, the circuits are open between the contact plate 7 TI and the contact plates 80 associated with said shuttles and no indication of weft exhaustion can be given as to any such shuttle until it is about to be moved to running position.

The detecting mechanism and control circuits 75v as described'are simple in oonstruction and are directly associated with the pattern'm'echanism which controls the shuttle boxes, so that itis practically impossible for the indicating-mechanism to get out of step with the shuttle boxes at the detecting side of the-loom.

It will be obvious that the magazine and transfer mechanism shown in Fig. 2 will insert the fresh weft carrier in'whatever shuttle is in active or running positionat the magazine side of the 100m on the nextpick after indication of substantial weft exhaustion, and it.will be .further obvious thatit'is immaterial which of the drop boxes 23 contains the shuttle S at the time of transfer. Consequently the number or position of the drop boxes 23 at the magazine side of the 100m need not correspond to the number or position of the shuttle boxes 24 at the detecting side of the loom.

Instead of a 4 x 4 loom, I may apply my invention to a 4 x 3 loom or even to a 4 x 1 loom if pick and pick operation is not essential. Fur thermore, by disabling the drop box mechanism at the magazine side of the loom, I can run a 4x4loom ora4 x 3 loomasa4x lloomwhen weaving fabrics in which single picks are not required.

I can also use extra shuttles in addition to the shuttles corresponding to the boxes 24 at the detecting side of the loom, provided only that these extra shuttles omit the electrical contacts shown in Figs. 7 to 11, so that they cannot complete an indicating circuit of the detecting mechanism but are controlled simply by the usual weft fork and filling stop motion. As these extra shuttles cannot indicate weft replenishment, they may be received in any empty box on either side of the loom, thus providing increased elasticity of operation.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:-

1. In a weft replenishing loom having a plurality of drop boxes at the detecting side thereof and shuttles for said boxes, in combination, a weft replenishing magazine containing bobbins with different kinds or colors of yarn, means to selectively deliver said bobbins to transfer position, a separate detecting device in each shuttle making electrical contact therein on substantial exhaustion of weft in said shuttle, bobbin-transfer mechanism for said magazine, a regularly operated actuator for said transfer mechanism, a normally inoperative connection between said actuator and said transfer mechanism, an electrical device controlling said connection, a separate electric circuit for each of said electrical detectors; and pattern-controlled means effective to connect said electrical controlling device to the circuit of the shuttle to be next picked from the detecting side of the loom, said latter means including a contact member in each circuit, a single contact arm movable to selectively engage said contact members, and means directly actuated by a pattern chain for positioning said contact arm and maintaining said contact engagement during shifting of the boxes to bring said shuttle to running position.

2. In a weft replenishing loom having a plurality of drop boxes at the detecting side thereof and shuttles for said boxes, in combination, a weft replenishing magazine containing bobbins with different kinds or colors of yarn, means to selectively deliver said bobbins to transfer position, a' separate detecting device'in each shuttle making electrical contact therein on substantial exhaustion of weft in said shuttle, bobbin-trans? fermechanism for said magazine, a regularly operated actuator for said transfermechanism, a normally inoperative connection between said actuator and said transfer mechanism, an electrical device controlling said connection, a separate electric circuit for each of said electrical detectors, and pattern-controlled means effective to connect said electrical controlling device to the circuit of the shuttle about to be picked from the detecting side of the loom, said latter means including aflcontaict member in each: circuit, a contact arm movable to selectively engage said contact members, and means directly actuated by a pattern chain for positioning said contact arm and comprising two pattern levers and compound levers positioned thereby.

3. In a weft replenishing loom having a plurality of drop boxes at the detecting side thereof and shuttles for said boxes, in combination, a weft replenishing magazine containing bobbins with different kinds or colors of yarn, means to selectively deliver said bobbins to transfer position, a separate detecting device in each shuttle making electrical contact therein on substantial exhaustion of weft in said shuttle, bobbin-transfer mechanism for said magazine, a regularly operated actuator for said transfer mechanism, a normally inoperative connection between said actuator and said transfer mechanism, an electrical device controlling said connection, a separate electric circuit for each of said electrical detectors, and pattern-controlled means effective to connect said electrical controlling device to the circuit of the shuttle to be next picked from the detecting side of the loom, said latter means including a contact member in each circuit, a single contact arm movable to selectively engage said contact members, and means directly actuated by a pattern chain for positioning said contact arm prior to the movement of the drop boxes at the detecting side and maintaining said contact engagement during shifting of the boxes to bring said shuttle to running position.

4. A weft replenishing pick-and-pick loom having a plurality of drop boxes at both sides and shuttles for said boxes, in combination with a weft replenishing magazine at one side containing bobbins with different kinds or colors of yarn, means to selectively deliver said bobbins to transfer position, a separate detecting device'in each shuttle making electrical contact therein on substantial exhaustion of weft in said shuttle, bobbin-transfer mechanism for said magazine, a regularly operated actuator for said transfer mechanism, a normally inoperative connection between said actuator and said transfer mechanism, an electrical device controlling said connection, a separate electric circuit for each of said electrical detectors, and pattern-controlled means effective to connect said electrical controlling device to the circuit of the shuttle to be next picked from the detecting side of the loom, said connection being first made just before the boxes are shifted and said circuit being maintained during subsequent shifting of the boxes to bring the indicated shuttle to running position and said bobbin transfer mechanism thereafter operating to insert a fresh bobbin in the indicated shuttle between the first and the second pick of the loom following indication of substantial weft exhaus tion in said shuttle.

5. A weft replenishing pick-and-pick loom having a plurality of drop boxes at both sides and shuttles for'said boxes, in combination with a weft replenishing magazine at one side containing bobbins with different kinds or colors of yarn, means to selectively deliver said bobbins to transfer position, a separate detecting device in each shuttle making electrical contact therein on substantial exhaustion of weft in said shuttle, bobbin-transfer mechanism for said magazine, a regularly operated actuator for said transfer mechanism, a normally inoperative connection between said actuator and said transfer mechanism, an electrical device controlling said connection, a separate electric circuit for each of said electrical detectors, and pattern-controlled means effective to connect said electrical controlling, device to the circuit of the shuttle to be next picked from the detecting side of the loom just prior to the movement of the drop boxes at the detecting side to bring said indicated shuttle to running position, and said bobbin transfer mechanism thereafter operating to insert a fresh bobbin in the indicated shuttle between the first and the second pick of the loom following indication of substantial weft exhaustion in said indicated shuttle.

ALBERT A. GORDON. 

